On the fly pad cleaning and lint

[ClearlyCoated]

I was practicing my compounding and polishing techniques this past weekend on my "practice" car (a 1993 Civic with every conceivable paint defect) and noticed lint forming around the outer edge of my polishing pads after I had cleaned them on the fly using terry towels purchased at WalMart (specifically for automotive use). I tried to pick the lint off the face of the pad, but that was an iffy proposition at best while wearing nitrile gloves. My terry towels were new and I threw the whole batch into the washer, followed by two spins in the dryer. Sure enough, the lint trap filled up both times.

Questions...

Would the lint have introduced swirls while polishing? I assumed they would which is why I interrupted my detailing to wash the towels.

Even after the second go-round in the dryer, the towels still look like they might leave lint on the pads. Perhaps the towels I'm using are too cheap? Is there a standard grade or brand of terry towel I should be using?

Is it always good practice to wash and dry new terry towels prior to using them to clean pads, or could I have used a higher quality towel straight out of the wrapper?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: On the fly pad cleaning and lint

Can't count how many times we've cleaned a pad on the fly using terry cloth towels while either detailing a car and/or showing the technique at a class but never really had any problem with lint transfer from the towel?

If the towels are seasoned, (that is they're not brand new), then they're shouldn't be a linting problem unless it's just an inexpensive towel and the fibers are tearing loose.

Maybe peak inside the linen closet and look for the nicest quality bath towel you have and covert it to your pad cleaning towel.

Sometimes you'll see some residue build-up on the edges of your pads, just scrape this off with your fingernails.